At times, fashion can be difficult. It can be temperamental, confusing and subversive in ways both good and bad, and when you get into the upper echelons of the style world, not all good clothes are pretty. In fact, that’s probably one of the biggest misconceptions about the fashion industry from those on the outside looking in – fashion is often not about being traditionally pretty.

Sometimes, though, it is. Elie Saab is a reliable purveyor of the beautiful and sparkly, and he certainly didn’t fail to bring the glamour with his Fall/Winter 2010 Haute Couture collection. With a palette ranging from scarlet to baby blue, Saab explored the various and sundry ways to make a woman feel like a million bucks.

His goals may not be as high-brow (or pretentious, depending on how you look at it) as someone like Karl Lagerfeld, but he hit his mark admirably with everything from cocktail dresses to a stunning, couture-traditional wedding gown to end the show. I’d be amazed if every last one of these looks didn’t end up on a high-profile red carpet sometime in the next year.

Who do you think will wear them? One of the gold numbers in particular screams “Angelina Jolie” to me. (more…)

To finish out Paris Couture Week, I thought it might be nice to have something that’s not at all intellectual or challenging. If as many of you guys go out on Thursday nights as the people in my group of friends, then Friday morning is not the time to be looking at and making sense of Difficult Fashion. No no, Friday is the time for obvious things.

So, for the princess/teenage prom-goer/Oscar-winner in all of us, Elie Saab Haute Couture has the beaded, tulle’d ball gown that we’ve always wanted. In case you don’t have an occasion to which to wear a ball grown, there are a few super sparkly, pastel cocktail dresses as well, but don’t worry, they don’t skimp on the beading or tulle. Ever for someone like me, an Alexander McQueen fangirl that likes things dark and edgy if at all possible, it’s unquestionably fun to drool over something girl and light every now and then. Here’s your chance, folks. (more…)